Fabric patching and reinforcing device



Dec. 15, 1942. E. SHARPLES FABRIC PATCHING AND 'REINFORCING DEVICEFiledbec. 3, 193a INVENTOR ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 15, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FABRIC PATCHIN G ANDREINFORCIN G DEVICE Arthur E. Sharples, Astoria, N. Y., assignor toTheodore C. Stem, New York, N. Y.

Application December 3, 1938, Serial-No. 243,894

8 Claims. (Cl. 154-42) A further object is to provide a vertically.

placed housing for retaining the heating element and for maintaining themaximum degrees of heat near that surface where the patching of thefabric is being performed.

Another object is to-provide novel means of pressing the fabric and itspatch against the heated surface of the housing.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method ofpatching or reinforcing a textile fabric.

A further object is to provide an improved patched or reinforced textilefabric.

A further and more specific objectof the invention is to provide apatched or reinforced textile fabric involving thermo-plastic materialwhereof the patch will nbt be deleteriously effected by subjection tothe temperatures or chemicals to which articles of apparel are subjectedin the laundry or at other times.

Other and ancillary objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 partly broken away;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a patch adapted for use with the deviceof Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive;

Fig. is a perspective view of a fragment of textile fabric having a holeto be patched; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view, partly in section, showing the patch inpatching positionready to be secured to the fabric to be patched.

Referring tothe drawing, and first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the apparatustherein shown comprises a pedestal of thin sheet metal, desirablyaluminum, including the hollow base I, with the top of the column 2 asleeve 3 of insulating material, such as insulating fibre, which sleeverests upon the circumferential bead 4 formed in the column 2. In the topof the sleeve 3 is a block of metal 5 having the horizontal planepatching surface 6. It will be observed that the block 5 is insulatedfrom loss of heat by the heat-insulating sleeve 3. The block 5 issecured in place by the rods 1 having a screwthreaded engagement withthe block 5 and passing through a fiat bar 8 which, when the nuts 9 arescrewed up on the rod 1, is forced against the hole.

the bead '4 and the block 5 securely fastened in position. The bar 8 isof heat-insulating material so as to prevent conduction of heat awayfrom the block 5 through the rods 1.

Electrically insulated, but in close heat-conducting relation with themetal block 5, is the electric resistor I0, acting as a heater for theblock 5. This is supported by the plate ll, through which pass the rods1, supported to firmly clamp the heater against the block 5 by means ofnuts l2. Electric current is supplied to the heater by insulatedconductors l3 and H which are connected to its terminals. Theseconductors pass downwardly through a hole in the hanger l5 secured tothe plate 8 and thence pass downwardly through the column 2, pass outthrough a hole I6 in the base i to a suitable source of current. Justabove the hole in the hanger a knot I1 is formed in the conductors l3and I4 which will not pass through This results in the hanger resistingany pull upon the wires and prevents the pull from being transmitted tothe resistor or its connections.

A cover is provided which comprises a body of heat insulating material,which may beBakelite, including a central substantially circular portionll having the outwardly extending arms [8 and I 9 at opposite ends of adiameter. A central recess 20 is provided in this insulating body inwhich is secured a metal body 21 resting upon the lugs 22 of insulationand formed integral with the insulating body and which serve to spacethe metal body 2| from the side of the recess. Secured to the insulatingbody referred to is a handle 23 which may also be of Bakelite andsecured by a screw 24.

It will now be seen that the cover'comprising the metal body 2| may beplaced in position the hollow central column 2 of less diameter integraltherewith. There is telescoped within may be removed from above thepatching block when the springs 25 and 26 will forcibly draw the twometal bodies toward each other. The cover 5, so that the work may beplaced on or removed from the patching block 5. The work having beenplaced on the block 5, the cover may then be adjusted so that the metalbody 2| is above the metal body when the springs 25 and 25 will forcethe bodies 2| and 5 together compressing the work between them. Whendesired the metal plate 2| may be adjusted above and drawn against theblock 5 without any work interposed, when the heating of the body 5 bythe electric heater will conduct the heat to and raise the temperatureof the metal 2|, the metal bodies 5 and 2| being in intimate directcontact. This is for the purpose of pre-heating the metal body 2| aswill be hereinafter referred to.

The heat insulating handle 23 and the protection of all heated metalparts as provided for in the construction referred to, effectuallyprevents all danger of burning of the operator in manipulating thedevice.

Referring to Fig. 5, the textile fabric 21 has a hole 28 to be patched.It will be understood that instead of an actual hole at 28 the fabricmight be worn so thin as to require reinforcement. The patch (see Fig.4) comprises a textile fabric 29 to one face of which is attached athermo-plastic substance 30. To efiect the patching the patch is laidover the hole 25 with its edges over-lapping the edges of the hole andthe thermo-plastic material against the fabric 21 to be patched. Theparts being in the position as shown in Fig. 6, the patch and the wornfabric 21 are placed upon the patching surface 5 of the metal block 5(the spring-pressed cover having been removed). The spring-pressed coveris then placed with the metal body 2| above the patch and fabric to bemended. When released the metal body 2| will force the patch and fabricto be mended against the surface 6 whereby the patch and fabric to bemended are pressed tightly together. Application of heat by the electricheater will then cause the softening or fusing of the thermo-plasticmaterial when it will fiow into or impregnate the fabric to be mended,and the fabric of the patch, the heat being applied while the patchedfabric and fabric to be mended are pressed together between the plates 5and 2| as described. When this softening and impregnation has beencarried on to the desired extent, care being taken that the fabrics arenot charred or injured in the operation, the cover is removed and thepatched fabric removed from the patching block. Upon cooling of thethermoplastic material it will congeal and the fabric of the patch andthe fabric to be mended will be found to be thoroughly and stronglypatched. In the case of stockings, in the patching of holes in which itis contemplated that the invention will find frequent use, the fabric ofthe patch should be comparatively flexible so as to be comfortable forthe wearer, and at all times the quality of the patching fabric shouldbe adapted to the use in hand.

For some purposes the thermo-plastic substance may be of a low fusingtemperature in which case it may be immaterial on which side of thefabric to be mended the thermo-plastically coated patch is located orupon which side of the patch (with relation to the fabric to be mended)the thermo-plastic material is located, the low fusion material flowingthroughout the fabrics and accomplishing its purpose of uniting them,whatever may be its position with relation to them. It is also to beobserved that the thermoplastic material may be. in the first instance,

p the heated body 5.

applied either to the patching fabric or the fabric to be mended.However, it is preferable that the thermo-plastic material shall, in thefirst in stance, be between the patching fabric and the fabric to bemended. It is also preferable that it be applied in the first instanceto the fabric of the patch.-

In the case of patched articles, such as stockings, required to passthrough laundering operations where high temperatures and acids or otherchemicals used for cleansing purposes are employed, the thermo-plasticmaterial should be capable of resisting the usual laundry chemicals andshould not fuse or soften to any extent deteriorating to the patch. Ithas been found that a material capable of withstanding a temperature ofapproximately 300 F. without materially fusing or softening will passthrough the temperatures of the usual laundry operations.

While any suitable thermo-plastic composition may be employed, one suchcomposition which has been found to have the properties of producing astrong and durable patch, and also the properties of not materiallyfusing or softening at temperatures below 300 F. and also resisting theusual laundry chemicals, is as follows:

Percent Vinyl resin 29.0 Butyl acetate 5.4 Toluene 7.1 Di-butylphthalate4.5 Paraffin oil 3 Acetone 51.0

With the lower fusing thermo-plastic materials it may be immaterial onwhich side of the fabric to be patched, the patch with the thermoplasticmaterial, is placed with relation to the electrically heated metal block5, because suflicient heat may, in any event, be applied to thethermo-plastic material to sufficiently fuse it.

However, with the higher fusing thermo-plastic materials, it is ofadvantage to place the patch with the thermo-plastic material next tothe heated block 5 and the fabric to be mended outside of the patch andthermo-plastic material. This causes less heat insulating fabric to bebetween the thermo-plastic material and the heated metal block 5, sothat the necessary fusing heat can be transmitted to the thermo-plasticmaterial and without danger of over-heating or charring the fabric.

v The operation of patching may be facilitated. particularly in the caseof high fusing thermoplastic materlals, and the operation is improvedeven in the case of lower fusing thermo-plastic materials, if the metalplate 2| is heated prior to the patching operation. This may beaccomplished by bringing the plate 2| into position against the heatedplate 5, as shown in Fig. 1,

whereby the metal body 2|, in direct contact with the heated metal body5, may be heated to any desired temperature up to approximately that ofThis heating of the plate 2| having been accomplished, the cover isremoved thereby removing the plate 22 from above the heated plate 5, thework is placed upon the surface 5 and the cover replaced, with the metalplate 2| still hot, outside of the work. The heat retained in thethoroughly heat-insulated body 2| will then pass to the thermo-plasticmaterial from one side of the work while heat from the heated body 5will pass to such material from the other side of the work. The resultis that the laterally outside said surface whereby said sur-, face willbe uncovered by said cover, means for thermo-plastic material ismoreefiiciently heated, especially to high temperatures without dangerof injury to the fabric. This'operation'of having the heated metal plateoutside the work, that is on the opposite side from the electricallyheated plate, is not only of advantage in con}.

considered its best application it may have other embodiments withoutdeparting from its spirit and is not, therefore, limited to thestructure shown in the drawings; nor is the invention of patch limitedto the illustrative form of patch as shown inthe drawings and theprecise details as described as such may be varied in numerous wayswithout departing from the invention; nor

is the invention of method limited to the precise details as recited;

What I claim is: I

1. A device for patching and reinforcing textile fabrics comprising atubular housing hav- Q I I forcing said cover toward said surface, whenabove the same, to press the patch, the textile fabrics, to be patchedor reinforced, and a thermo-plastic substance together to secure saidpatch and fabric together, said cover comprising a metal body adapted tobe pressed againstsaid metal patching surface to heat said metal body insaid cover.

5. In a device for thermo-plastically patching and reinforcing textilefabrics comprising in combination a pedestal supporting a heat-insulatedmetal patching surface, an electric heater for heating said surface, acover movable laterally with relation to said surface to a positionlaterally outside said surface whereby said suring its axis vertical, anelectric heating element therein, a patching surface at the top of saidhousing, a cover movable laterally with relation to said surface to aposition laterally outside said surface whereby said surface will beuncovered by said cover, a handle for positioning said cover above-saidpatching surface and means for resiliently drawing said cover andsurface together whereby to force a thermo-plastic patch and a fabricagainst each other while they are heated by said heating element.

2. A device for patching and reinforcing textile fabrics comprising abase, a vertically placed hollow column fast to said base, a heatingelement located at the upper end of said column, electric wires passingfrom said base through said column to said element, an insulatinghousing and means for removably maintaining said housing at the top endof said column, a patching surface carried by said housing at the top ofsaid column, a cover movable laterally with relation to said surface toa position laterally outside said surface whereby said surface will beuncovered by said cover, said cover having an innerpatching surface andmeans for resiliently drawing said cover toward said first mentionedpatching surface whereby to force a thermo-plastic patch and a textilefabric against each other while a 4. In a device forthermo-plasticallypatching and reinforcing textile fabrics comprising incombination a pedestal supporting a heat-insulated metal patchingsurface, an electric heater for heating said surface, a cover movablelaterally with relation to said surface to a position lated metalpatching surface, an electric heater for heating said surface, a covermovable laterally with relation to,said surface to a position laterallyoutside said surface whereby said surface will'be uncovered by saidcover, means for forcing said cover toward said surface, when above thesame, to press the patch, a textile fabric, to be patched or reinforced,and a thermoplastic substance together to secure said patch and fabrictogether, said cover comprising heatinsulating material, and a metalbody mounted in said heat-insulating material, said metal body beingadapted to be pressed against said metal patching surface to heat saidmetal body in said cover, and aheat-insulated handle secured to saidcover.

'7. In a device for thermo-plastically patching and reinforcing textilefabrics comprising in combination a metal pedestal comprising a hollowbase and a hollow metal column of less diameter than said base andcentrally arranged thereon, a heat insulating sleeve mounted at theupper end of said column, a metal patching block mounted on said sleeve,an electric heater for heating said block, a cover of heat insulatingmaterial, a metal body mounted in said cover and adapted to be drawntoward said metal block to press the patch and reinforced or patchedfabric together with a thermo-plastic substance, between the said blockand body while the said substance is heated, springs for drawing saidblock and body together, said springs being on opposite sides of saidcolumn and each secured to said base and said cover respectively, and ahandle secured to said cover but heat insulated from said metal bodymounted in said cover.

8. A device for patching and reinforcing textilefabrics comprising abase, a vertically placed hollow column fast to said base, a heatingelement located at the upper end of said column, electric wires passingfrom said base through said column to said element, an insulatinghousing and means for removably maintaining said housing at the top endof said column, a patchdle last to said insulator and tension springsconnected to said insulator and said base for pressing said cover towardsaid column whereby to force a thermoplastic patch and a textile fabricARTHUR n. snmms.

5 against each other.

